The kick-off to renovations of Washington State University's Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash., included a demolition contract with two substantial structural removals and precise concrete cutting performed by contractor NCM, Snoqualmie, Wash. The $1.2-million demolition package would make way for crews to build atop the in-place IT building and merge the renovation onto a stadium that had undergone three renovations in its lifetime.

First, crews cut key concrete sections to demolish two separate sections of the existing stadium to pave the way for the new superstructure and steel packages. The engineered demolition allowed for the removal of the press box, while leaving the foundational podium intact. This required synchronized critical crane lifts and secondary equipment that assisted with the torch-cutting of the steel.

"The critical picks of the crane ranged between 12,000 to 18,000 pounds, which required a large enough crane with enough boom and rigging to reach the location of the work while boomed out over the IT Building, making what is referred to as 'blind picks' relying on critical radio communication between the operator and the bellman," says Dan Deymonaz, senior estimator and project manager at NCM. "The size of the crane with the outriggers extended made positioning of it difficult because we had a limited footprint with egress and college student foot traffic in areas adjacent to the work."

Work occurred directly over WSU's main IT building with a new plaza level ultimately turned into the rooftop of the structure. To ensure the exactness of the new placement, Ness Campbell Crane Services, Portland, worked with NCM and general contractor Hoffman Construction, Portland, and used engineering surveys of the existing building to make the concrete saw cuts on the structural deck.

Along with precise work over the IT building, cranes removed existing concrete seating in both the east and west elevations of the project. Waste was processed into smaller pieces, which were hauled away for recycling. The project boasted a 92% recycling rate for all materials removed.

A $1.2-million renovation at Washington State University's Martin Stadium required two substantial structural demolition components and precise concrete cutting performed by contractor NCM.

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